Casual player

[Asiaine]

And yet, you do. What would happen if they fully catered to the casual base? The game would be FAR different than it is now, not an easier version of what we have. Basically, not the game they wanted to create. But if you cater to the upper end of gamers, that group is small, and while that group would love it, it won't sustain a game.

This game does really cater to the Casuals, with Coil and Atma slapped on in an attempt to entertain 'upper end' gamers. Ignore coil and atma, and you quite literally have a point & click game you could 'faceroll' your way to completion. Granted, there might be a few fights where you have to memorize which way to roll your face.


I'm not sure having a game that caters to 'hardcore/upper end' players would be unsustainable. I would need to see real concrete impartial market research on the topic to say. (It may very well be that no one can really say accurately... ).

The concern with this game is they seem to be confused on their target audience. If it is pure casuals, they need to remove coil/ATMA/grindy stuff like that. If it is upper end players, they need to make the combat more challenging so that doing grindy stuff is not boring. If its in between, then they risk alienating those at the polar ends. (Upper end players complain the content is so easy all they have to do is boring grind, casual players complain the content is too grindy or difficult).

What I think they are ending up doing here is sort of playing a juggling game:
Patch1: Okey, let's make the casuals happy. Yes, I know all the upper end players are now ticked off, we'll worry about them next patch.
Patch2: Okey, now let's make the upper end players happy. Yes I know this will tick off the casuals, we'll worry about that next patch.
Patch3: See patch 1.

Which means we, as a player/consumer/customer, will be going through cycles of both happy/sad/happy/sad until one of those wins out.

[Asiaine]

I don't see any demographic being excluded here. There are equivalent weapons to be found elsewhere if you don't want to do the Atma grind, or want to put it off until after it's made easier.

The demographics being excluded here are those who are interested in in-depth/challenging battle mechanics. As well as those who are interested in equipment/weapon customization. And those who are interested in challenging/non-predictable battles against strong AI-ed foes.

Sadly, a lot of these are the hallmarks of a traditional RPG (oodles of skills/strategies to use, and weapon customization). Which means, in some way, the demographic being excluded are those looking for strong traditional RPG elements. And I hope we can't blame them for considering FFXIV as possibly offering those.

[Gormogon]

After some MMO's I'm done being a "hardcore" end game player. I don't mind giving it attempts and being part of a static but I'm done having to put up with the stressful elitist environment.

As a somewhat casual players there's a lot of objectives to look forward in the game. There's lots of classes and jobs worth leveling. Gear up whatever you enjoy. There's a lot of content worth exploring and completing at max level. Getting in a FC and helping to the best of your abilities can be a thing for you too, which not many casuals do but can. It's an option. As well as other minor goals you can set for yourself.

Yet it is all dependent on what you as an individual considers "fun". i have my goals and I can't wait to achieve them. Once I do achieve them I know I can then spend that free time on whatever I please. Goals are goals and they take time.

[Menfist]

After some MMO's I'm done being a "hardcore" end game player. I don't mind giving it attempts and being part of a static but I'm done having to put up with the stressful elitist environment.

As a somewhat casual players there's a lot of objectives to look forward in the game. There's lots of classes and jobs worth leveling. Gear up whatever you enjoy. There's a lot of content worth exploring and completing at max level. Getting in a FC and helping to the best of your abilities can be a thing for you too, which not many casuals do but can. It's an option. As well as other minor goals you can set for yourself.

Yet it is all dependent on what you as an individual considers "fun". i have my goals and I can't wait to achieve them. Once I do achieve them I know I can then spend that free time on whatever I please. Goals are goals and they take time.

Very well said.

[ispano]

-snip-

OR the way it was done prior to 2.2 wasn't intended or didn't work the way they thought it would.

[Capita]

-snip-

I'd like you to name one MMO that didn't have predictable, scripted boss fights. I've played endgame in pretty much every major MMO since EQ and they're all the same kind of scripted fighting. The best at making scripted fights difficult was WoW, while FFXI focused more on ridiculous mob HP to simulate difficulty rather than having difficult mechanics. You're playing an MMO. This is how MMO's are.